Device and Method for Controlling the Condensate and/or Frost Formation in Chocolate Shell Production

ABSTRACT

A device for controlling the condensate or frost formation in chocolate shell production has a mould ( 2 ), provided with a plurality of recesses ( 3 ) for liquefied of softened chocolate ( 4 ) and a die ( 5 ) cooled by cooling means ( 7 ) and including a plurality of protrusions ( 6 ), each fit to be inserted into a respective below recess ( 3 ) to mould a chocolate shell, in cooperation there with, in a maximum approach condition (A) between the die ( 5 ) and the mould ( 2 ). The device ( 1 ) further includes: at least one supply means ( 8 ) whose outlet ( 9 ) flows directly into the environment and it is orientated in the direction of protrusions ( 6 ); dehumidification means ( 10 ) to feed the at least one supply means ( 8 ) with dehumidified air ( 50 ). The supply means ( 8 ) is fit to blow dehumidified air ( 50 ) nearly at ambient pressure, at least in mutual detachment conditions (D) of mould ( 2 ) and die ( 5 ), toward the protrusions ( 6 ) so preventing the formation thereon of water condensate or frost.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the technical field regarding theproduction of chocolate food products and it refers to a device and to amethod for controlling the condensate or frost formation in chocolateshell production, particularly by means of a mould provided with aplurality of recesses for liquefied and/or softened chocolate and with acooled die including a plurality of protrusions each fit to be insertedin a respective recess in order to form, in cooperation with the latter,a chocolate shell.

BACKGROUND ART

There are known devices, fit to prevent the noxious formation of watercondensate or frost on the protrusions, said devices being provided witha room delimited by side walls, by mould and die and kept inoverpressure by air feed means to control the temperature of said air atvalues lower than the condensation values.

There are also known devices in which the mould and the die forchocolate shells are housed in a closed container, in which thetemperature is maintained substantially below the temperature of thecountermould by control means of air temperature.

The main drawbacks of said known devices and methods consist in thatsaid rooms and containers are difficult to be made, are expensive andcannot be assembled in non pre-arranged machines; furthermore in orderto keep controlled the air temperature in such rooms and containers, itis necessary to limit the range of the protrusion temperature andgenerally the operation modes of the machine.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to propose a device forcontrolling the condensate or frost formation in chocolate shellproduction, whose portion which is associated to die and mould has smalldimensions, flows directly in the environment and that, therefore, itdoes not require rooms or containers.

Other object of the present invention is to propose a method foravoiding the humidity condensation on the die by blowing dehumidifiedair at the surface thereof with adjustable temperatures in a wide rangeof values also higher than the temperature values of die protrusion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the present invention are underlined in thefollowing with particular reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic and partial view of a portion of FIG. 1 deviceincluding a mould and a die in a condition of mutual detachment thereof;

FIG. 3 shows a view of the portion of FIG. 2 device in a condition ofmutual approach of mould and die;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a variant of FIG. 1 device.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, numeral 1 indicates the device forcontrolling the condensate or frost formation in the chocolate shellproduction including a mould 2 provide with a plurality of recess 3 forliquefied or softened chocolate 4 and a die 5 including a plurality ofprotrusions 6 cooled by cooling means 7.

The mould 2 is horizontally positioned below the die 5 and it isvertically driven by a respective lifting means, including electric,pneumatic or hydraulic actuators, of known type and not shown, between acondition of maximum approach A, in which each protrusion 6 is insertedin a respective underlying recess 3 to form a chocolate shell and acondition of mutual detachment D, in which the mould 2 which has mouldedshells is removed in order to replaced by another mould 2 whose recesses3 bear the chocolate to be moulded.

The cooling means 7 include a plurality of ducts extending in theprotrusions 6 of die 5 and which are flown by a cooling means,consisting of a glycol solution, an antifreeze fluid or a refrigerantfluid, cooled by refrigerating machine 13 including an expansionrefrigerator 19.

The refrigerating machine 13 includes dehumidification means 10 providedwith a radiator exchanger 14 and with blowing means 15 for feeding withdehumidified air 50 a whole of supply means 8, fixed to die 5.

The radiator exchanger 14 is internally crossed and cooled by thecooling fluid of cooling means 7 or by another fluid refrigerated by therefrigerating machine 13 and it is crossed by an air flow produced bythe blowing means 15 of fan type.

The humidity of the ambient air is condensed on the external surface ofradiator exchanger, which thus produces the dehumidified air 50 bycondensation.

The air coming out from the dehumidification means 10 is directed by aduct 12, including filter means 17 for instance with actived carbon, upto connections 11 of supply means 8.

Each supply means 8 has an approximately bent delta shape with a sidehaving an outlet 9 for the dehumidified air 50 and the opposed vertexhaving the connection 11.

The outlet 9 of each supply means 8 flows directly in the environment,it is oriented in direction of protrusions 6 and it is fit to blow thedehumidified air 50, in the mutual detachment condition D of mould 2from die 5, at nearly ambient pressure, in order to avoid condensate orfrost formation on the protrusions 6.

The outlet 9 of each supply means 8 is aligned with or below the lowerface of die 5, having the protrusions 6, and it is inclined toward saidface; besides the outlet has an extended shape and it is approximatelyparallel to a respective side of the die 5.

Each outlet 9 has a length approximately equal to the length of thecorresponding side of die 5.

In the shown embodiment, the device 1 include a supply means 8 for eachside of die 5, but the invention also provides that only one, two orthree sides of the rectangular die 5 have a respective supply means 8.

The invention further provides that the device has only one supply means8 provided with outlets 9 corresponding to two or more sides of die 5.

In the variant of FIG. 4, the dehumidification means 10 of device 1include, downstream the radiator exchanger 14 and in flow communicationthereto, a drier 16 with rotating disks having hygroscopic material toabsorb the residual damp of the dehumidified air 50.

The rotating disks, of known type, are crossed by a plurality oftransversal openings whose inner surface has the hygroscopic material,for instance, consisting of lithium chlorate salts or, preferably,silica gel.

The rotation of the disk alternatively sets each transversal opening incommunication with the flow of air to be dehumidified, which transfersthe humidity to the hygroscopic material, and with a countercurrent flowof heated air produced by a hot air generator 18, which dehydrates saidmaterial predisposing it for a following cycle.

The device operation according to the method for controlling thecondensate and/or frost formation in chocolate shell production of thepresent invention provides to blow the dehumidified air 50, in themutual detachment condition D of mould 2 from die 5, nearly at ambientpressure, in direction of protrusions 6 by the supply means 8,positioned at each side of die 5, and whose outlets 9 flow directly inthe environment, preventing the condensate or frost formation on theface of die 5 having the protrusions 6.

The air, which is immediately downstream the radiator exchanger 14, iscooled at a temperature between around 0° C. and around 30° C. and ithas a humidity percentage ranging between 10% and 60%. The dehumidifiedair 50 by the absorption through the disk drier 16, as provided in thevariant of FIG. 4, has a humidity ranging between around 0% and around10% and it is heated, before the blowing, at a temperature includedbetween around 5° C. and around 35° C., preferably of around 22° C.

Such heating of the dehumidified air 50 is carried out by thermal energytransferred from the hot air generator 18 to the disks through thedehydration air of the hygroscopic material.

The method further provides to use in the exchanger 14 a fluid cooled bythe cooling means 7 of die 5; to filter, through the filter means 17,the dehumidified air 50 prior the blowing and to stop or to reduce theblowing at the maximum approach condition A, by acting on the blowingmeans 15.

The humidity percentage and the temperature of the dehumidified air 50are regulated by respective controls of the refrigerating machine 13, inaccordance with the typology of chocolate 4 and/or the duration ofmaximum approach condition A with respect to the duration of a entiremoulding cycle of the chocolate shell.

The invention also provides that at least a part of the air blown intothe mould can be sucked by extractor fan means, known and not shown, andcan flow thanks to said extractor fan means in the hot air generator 18and/or fed in the radiator exchanger (14) together with the ambient air.

It must be observed that the air dehumidification allows to avoidcondensate or frost formation on the protrusions in a very wide range oftemperatures of said dehumidified air and that temperatures of manydegrees above zero of such air do not endanger the protrusion coolingand the chocolate moulding because the low thermal capacity of air andthe blowing at ambient pressure and low speed do not cause a significanttemperature increase of protrusions.

The main advantage of the present invention is to provide a device forcontrolling the condensate or frost formation in chocolate shellproduction, whose portion which is associated to the die and the mouldhas small dimensions, flows directly in the environment and, therefore,does not require rooms or containers.

Other advantage of the present invention is to provide a method foravoiding the humidity condensation on the die by blowing dehumidifiedair at the surface thereof, at ambient pressure and directly flowing outin the environment, with adjustable temperatures in a wide range ofvalues even higher than the temperature values of die protrusion ornegative Celsius degrees.

Further advantage is to provide a device and a method, which can beeasily assembled in preexistent and unarranged machines.

1) Method for controlling the condensate or frost formation in chocolateshell production by means of a mould (2) provided with a plurality ofrecesses (3) for liquefied or softened chocolate (4) and by means of adie (5), cooled by cooling means (7) and including a plurality ofprotrusions (6) each fit to be inserted into a respective below recess(3) to mould a chocolate shell, in cooperation therewith, in a maximumapproach condition (A) between the die (5) and the mould (2); the methodbeing characterized in that provides to blow dehumidified air (50), atleast in mutual detachment conditions (D) of the mould (2) and the die(5), nearly at ambient pressure, in direction of protrusions (6) throughat least a supply means (8) whose outlet (9) flows directly into theenvironment, so avoiding the condensate or frost formation at least onthe protrusions (6). 2) Method according to claim 1 characterized inthat provides to blow the dehumidified air (50) through supply means (8)positioned in correspondence of each side of die (5). 3) Methodaccording to claim 1 characterized in that provides to blow dehumidifiedair (50) having a humidity percentage ranging between around 0% andaround 60%. 4) Method according to claim 1 characterized in thatprovides to blow dehumidified air (50) having a temperature rangingbetween 0° C. and 35° C., preferably of around 22° C. 5) Methodaccording to claim 1 characterized in that provides to dehumidify theambient air through humidity condensation by means of a radiatorexchanger (14) crossed by a cooling fluid and by the ambient air inorder to obtain dehumidified air (50). 6) Method according to claim 1characterized in that provides to dehumidify the ambient air by humidityabsorption by means of a drier (16) with disks provided with hygroscopicmaterial in order to obtain dehumidified air (50). 7) Method accordingto claim 6 characterized in that provides to cool ambient air at atemperature ranging between around 0° C. and around 30° C. through aradiator exchanger (14) crossed by a cooling fluid and by the ambientair, before the dehumidification by humidity absorption by means of diskdrier (16). 8) Method according to claim 5 or claim 7 characterized inthat provides to use in the exchanger (14) a fluid cooled by the coolingmeans (7) of die (5). 9) Method according to claim 4 characterized inthat provides to heat the dehumidified air (50) before blowing. 10)Method according to claim 1 characterized in that provides to filter thedehumidified air (50) before blowing. 11) Method according to claim 1characterized in that provides to stop or to reduce the blowing incorrespondence of the maximum approach condition (A). 12) Methodaccording to claim 3 and 4 characterized in that provides to regulate atleast one between humidity percentage and temperature of thedehumidified air (50) in accordance with the typology of chocolate (4)and/or the duration of the maximum approach condition (A). 13) Devicefor controlling the condensate or frost formation in chocolate shellproduction by means of a mould (2) provided with a plurality of recesses(3) for liquefied or softened chocolate (4) and by means of a die (5),cooled by cooling means (7) and including a plurality of protrusions(6), each fit to be inserted into a respective below recess (3) to moulda chocolate shell, in cooperation therewith, in a maximum approachcondition (A) between the die (5) and the mould (2); the device (1)being characterized in that includes: at least a supply means (8) whoseoutlet (9) flows directly into the environment and is orientated indirection of protrusions (6); dehumidification means (10) fit to feed atleast a supply means (8) with dehumidified air (50); the supply means(8) being fit to blow the dehumidified air (50) nearly at ambientpressure, at least in mutual detachment conditions (D) of mould (2) anddie (5). 14) Device according to claim 13 characterized in that theoutlet (9) of each supply means (8) has elongated shape andapproximately positioned parallel to a respective side of die (5). 15)Device according to claim 13 characterized in that each outlet (9) isaligned to or below the die (5) and is inclined toward the latter. 16)Device according to claim 13 characterized in that each outlet (9) has alength approximately equal to the length of the corresponding side ofdie (5). 17) Device according to claim 13 characterized in that includesa supply means (8) for each side of the die (5). 18) Device according toclaim 13 characterized in that each supply means (8) has anapproximately bent delta shape with a side having the outlet (9) and theopposed vertex having a connection (11) for a duct (12) of pneumaticconnection to the dehumidification means (10). 19) Device according toclaim 13 characterized in that each supply means (8) is fixed to the die(5) and the mould (2) below is vertically driven by respective liftingmeans between the maximum approach condition (A) and the mutualdetachment condition (D). 20) Device according to claim 13 characterizedin that the dehumidification means (10) include a radiator exchanger(14) crossed by the ambient air to obtain dehumidified air (50), blownin the duct (12) by blowing means (15); the radiator exchanger (14)being cooled by a cooling fluid, refrigerated by a refrigerating machine(13) and fed to the die by the cooling means (7). 21) Device accordingto claim 13 characterized in that the dehumidification means (10)include a drier (16) with rotating disks provided with hygroscopicmaterial in order to obtain dehumidified air (50) blown in the duct (12)by blowing means (15). 22) Device according to claims 20 and 21characterized in that the dehumidification means (10) are connected inflow communication downstream the radiator exchanger (14). 23) Deviceaccording to claim 13 characterized in that the duct (12) includesfilter means (17) of the dehumidified air (50).